Ignition system



um 36,1923. A A 145mm 15H. HUNT IGNITION SYSTEM Filed April 1o 1919 Patented .lune 26, 1923.

JOHN H. HUNT, F DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESN ASSIGNMENTS, T0 DELCO- LIGHT COMPANY, 0F DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

IGNITION SYSTEM.

v Application led April 10, 1919. Serial No. 288,938. To all whom t may concern.' I gear 35 to drive timer cani shaft 36 carrying 55 Be it known that I, JOHN H. HUN'r, .a cit- A timer cam 37. Cam 37 isv provided with a izen of the United States of America, re dwell measured by the angle XOY,v in di siding at Dayton, county of Montgomery, rection ot rotation indicated by arrow 38,

State of Ohio, have invented certain new and with a depression or valley measured and useful Improvements in Ignition Sys- .by angle YOX. Cam 3T cooperates with 60 tems, of which the following is a full, clear, breaker lever 39 pivotally mounted on timer and exact description. f housing 40 and carrying Contact 41 which This invention relates to ignition systems cooperates with contact 42 mounted on for internal combustion engines and has housing 40 but insulated therefrom. VSpring amongits objects the provision of ignition 43 maintains contacts 4l and 42 in engage- G5 particularly for power plantsincluding an ment during the closing period of the prielectric generator driven by an internal mary ignition circuit which will now be de combustion engine but wherea storage bat scribed. tery for accumulating all or part. of the out* Wire 44 connects contact 42 with ignition put of the plant is not necessarily included coil primary winding 45 which is connected 70 as lpart of the power plant equipment. with switch 4G, resistance 47 and wire 3l. further object is to provide ignition for Contact 4l 'is connected through lever` 39 power plants of the kind described, in which and timer housing 4() `with wire 47 which the voltage oi the generator is considerably is connected with switch Contact 48. Switch higher relatively to that employed in the lever 49 is arranged to connect contact 48 75 usual battery type ignition system. In' carwith contacts 50 or contact 5l. Contact 50 rying out this object it is an aim ot the 'in is connected with a battery 52 which is convention to provide means by which the high nected with ignition switch 46. Contact 51 is voltage current of the generator can be used connected with wire Switch lever 49 may in connection with an ignition coil which is be operated. manually, but is preferably 80 standard with respect to ignition systemsv controlled by a centrifugal device comprisoperating at relatively low voltage. ing a shaft 53 journalled on the engine Other and further objects of the present frame, and carrying a wheel 54 in Jrictional invention will be apparent from the ollowengagement with the flywheel 24. Wheel 54 ing description, reference being had to the supports pivotally mounted weight elements 85 accompanying drawing, whereina preferred 55 which are connected by links 56 with 'a form of one embodiment ofthe present ingrooved collar 57 slidably mounted on shaft y yention is clearly shown. 53. Collar 57 is engaged by stud 58 mount- In the drawing: y 'ed on lever 49. A spring 59 interposed be.-

Fig. -1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of tween wheel 54 and collar 57 tends to resist 90 an engine, partly in section, together with a the movement ot weights 55 which' move wiring diagram illustrating one form of the outwardly after the engine attains a prede invention, l termined speed due to centrifugal force. 4.0 Fig, 2 shows a' modied form of the auto- .A condenser 60 is connected in parallel matic control. with the. timer contacts. 95

ln the drawing, an engine 20 is provided Ignition Coil Secondary winding 61 is with a crank shaft 21 driven by piston .22 grounded and connected with spark plug 62. through connecting rod 23. vCrank shaft 21 The operation of the invention is as y carries iy-wheel 24, timer gear 25, generafollows:

tor armature 26 and commutator 27. Arm- When the engine is at rest, switch lever 49 )L00 ature- 26"cooperateslwith generator eld 28 is in position shown in the drawing. By to induce current in armature windings closing switch 46 the battery 52 is connected which is conducted through brushes 29 and in series with the coil 45 andthe timer. The 30 and wirres 31 and 32 to terminals 33 and crank shaft 2l is revolved manually or by 34, respectively. Terminals 33 and 34 may a starting device, not shown. The primary X05 be connected by suitable switches with work circuit' is made when axis OX of cam 37 is circuits not shown. inthe position shown, and is broken wher Timer gear 25 cooperates with timer axis OY turns into the position occupied b;

axis OY is so timed that the break will occur atthe proper time for'retarded ignitiondesired on starting the engine.

When the engine has become self operative and has attained a predetermined speed such that the generator is producing current suiiicient for ignition purposes, lever 49 is moved automatically into engagement with contact the generator and to disconnect the battery The generator voltage is such with relation to the transformation ratio of the ignition coil that a spark ywill occur on the make of the primary circuit, that is, when camaxis OX is in the position shown in the drawing. Axis UX is timed so as to give the proper spark advance for the normal running operation ofV the engine. The spark which subsequently occurs as the break will do no harm since the combustible mixture has already` been exploded. l

The present invention therefore provides ignition for power plants including-.a gen-e erator driven by an internal combustion engine but where a storage battery for the accumulation ole part 'or all of the plant output is not necessarily included in the plant equipment. The battery 52 may consist of a few dry cells or may be a. small storage battery. ln eithrcase, since battery 52 is used for starting ignition only, it may be comparatively small in size. Therefore it is apparent that the power plant described may beused advantageously where power is to be used direct and no 'storage ot power is `re-f` quired. Such a plant may be made very portable, adaigiting it for outdoor construction work where power for operatingr lamps and motors and the like isi'equired.

The present invention is advantageous in that a standard low voltage ignition coilA can be used with a comparatively high voltage generator, for example one delivering cui'- rent at ll() volts. This is iinpiirtant from a n'ianutacturine p-oint of view since it is possible to provide a standard coil tor a series oa power plants Jfurnishing current at different voltages.

A further advantage of the invention re suits from its simplicity o't' control, there being' but one manual switch which is closed on starting the engine, and opened to stop the engine. The chang-e over tri'im'battery` to generator and the advance ot the ignition timing is eti'ectedautoniatically so that nothingr is lett to the memory or skillof the user.

The switch lever 49 can be controlled' in accordance with the speed or operation of the engine in other ways than through the' agency oit a centrifugal device. Forex ,arranged to cooperate with armatureI 72 which is connected to lever 49 so thatat a predetermined voltage corresponding to a predetermined engine speed, the lever 49 will be 'moved by magnetic attractioninto engagement with contact 5l. In both-forms of the invention the switcli'lever 49 is conl 'trolledby the speed of the engine either di. .'-i'ectly `by the centrifugal device or 5l to complete the ignition circuit throughv indirectly through the agency ot' an electromagnetic device. f

hile the forni of mechanism herein shown and described constitutes a. preferred embodiment of one torni of the invention, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, and various changes and alterations made in the shape, size andproportion oi' the elements therein without departing froml the spirit and scope ot' the invention. t'

I claimy l. In an ignition system. the combination with an engine; of a relatively lovv voltage cui-rent source; a relatively high voltage cui'-A rent source; an ignitiony coil arranged to provide a spark at the instant of connection with the high voltage source, or a spark at the instant ot lbreak of connection with the lowvoltage source; a timer arranged to time .the make of the ignition circuit at the proper engine running. and to time the ,l

advance for Lf n u u break of the ignitioncircuit at the proper retard for engine starting; and means for icnition'coil and timer.

connectingr either current source with the 2. In an ignition system, the 4combination n with an engine; o't` a relatively low voltage current source; a relatively high voltagecurrent source; an ignition coil arranged to provide a spark at the' instant of connection with the high voltage source, or a spark at the instantoi" break ot' connection-with the low voltage source; a timer arranged to time the make ot' the ignition circuit at the proper advance for en cine running, and to time the break ot' the ignition 'circuit at the proper `retard for engine starting; and meansv for.

connectingeither current source with the ignition coil 'and timer, said means being.-

controlled by the speed of the engine.

In/an ignition system, the combination with an engine; of a relatively high voltage generator driven thereby ot' a relatively low voltage and independent cui'rent'source; an ignition coil arrangedto provide a spark at the instant of connection with the genern ator, or a spark at the instant of break of connection with the low voltage source; a timer ai'rangedfto time the make of the ig;- nition circuit at the properadvance for en-. gine running, andfto time the break of-.thc ignition circuit at the proper retard lor cri- `gine starting;

and means for connecting either current source with the ignition coil and timer.

4. In. an ignition system, the combination ivith an engine; of a relatively high voltage generator driven thereby; of a relatively low voltage and independent current source; an ignition coil arranged to provide a spark at the instant of connection with the generator, or a spark at the instant of break of 'A to tlie engine cycle and adapted to actuateconnection withthe low voltage source; a

timer arranged Ito time the' make of the ignition circuit at the proper advance for engine running, and to time the break'oi' the ignition circuit at the proper retard. 'for angine starting; and means for connecting either current source With the Aignition coil and timer, said means being controlled by the speed ot the engine. l

5. In an ignition system, the combination with an engine; of a plurality of current sources; an ignition coil adapted to produce a spark at the instant 4of connection with one source; and adapted' to produce `a spark at the instant of disconnection from the other source; a timer arranged to Aeffect the said Idisconnection at the proper time for engine starting, and to effect the said connection at the proper time for engine running; and means for connecting either current source withthe coil 'and timer.-

46. In an ignition system, the vcombination with an engine; of a plurality ot current sources; an ignition coil adapted to produce a spark at the instant of connection with one source, and adapted to produce a spark at the instant of disconnection from the other source; a timer includingcoop'erating contacts connected in the primary circuit of said coil, a breaker lever carrying one of the contacts, and an engine driven cam cooperating with/ said breaker lever, said cam being arranged to permit the contacts to close at the proper instant for sparking during engine running conditions and to cause the contacts to` separateat the proper .j n-

'- stant for sparking during engine starting conditions; and means for connecting either current source Withthe cqiland timer.

7. In an ignition system,- the combination with an engine; of anignitioncoil; a timer connected with the ignition coil; a low voltage current source; ,a high volta-ge' current source; means for connecting either of said 8. Infan ignition system, the combination.

with an engine; of ignition means including a circuit, an ignition coil connected therewith, and a timer operating in fixed relation i timer contacts to make and break said circuit at diiferent points in the engine cycle; a current source adapted when connected with said circuit to cause engine ignition only at tlie break of said circuit; and a Secoud current source adapted when connected with said circuit to cause engine ignition at the make of said circuit.

I9. In an ignition system, the combination' with an engine; of iginition means including a circuit, an ignition ocoil connected there* with, and a timer operating in xed relae tion to tlie engine cycle :rnd adapted to actuate timer contacts to make and break'said circuit at different points in the enginejcy- .cle, said ignition means adapted when operated at one voltage to cause engine ignition only at the break of said circuitand lwhen operated at anotliervoltage to cause engine ignition at the make of said circuit; and

Vmeans for impressing different voltages on said ignition means.

10. In an ignition system, the combination with an engine; of ignition means including a circuit, an ignition coil connected therewith, and a timer operating in fixed rela tion to the engine cycle and -adapted to actuate timer contacts to make and break said circuit at different cle, said ignition means adapted,Y when op erated at one voltage to cause engine ignition vonly at the break of saidcircuit and when operated. at another voltage to cause engine ignition at the make of said circuit; and means responsive to engine speed for impressing di'erent voltages on said ignition means.A`v`

points in tle engine cy! In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

" JOHN H. HUNT.

Vitnesses J. W. MoDoNALD, 'MILDRED Prana. 

